Grain-separator



PATENT OFFICE.

EDWING. NICHOLS, OF BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

GRAlN-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,451, dated April 19, 1881.

Application filed September 13, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN O. NIoHoLs, of Battle Creek, county of Calhoun, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Separators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanyin g drawings, making part of this specitication, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the grain-separator attachment to a thrashing-machine. Fig. 2 is a rear view, enlarged, of one of the rear frame-posts detached and in detail.

My invention relates to a novel construction of the rear frame-posts of a grain-separator, for adapting the straw-carrier, or the upper and lower shakers, either or both, to be removed without removing the cover and upper frametimbers.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the main frame of the machine, and B and G the straw-carrier and lower shaker, said parts, in their general organization or construction and arrangement, difi'ering from those in common use onlyin certain details hereinafter described.

The shakers are of a width conforming to the space between the upright side frame posts or timbers, adapting them to fit snugly between said posts, while at the same time permitting their longitudinal vibration, and are made in any usual or preferred form, the upper one, where two are employed, being, by preference, provided with inclined transverse slats for carrying off the straw, while permitting the passage or escape of the grain between them, and with transverse rock-shafts having longitudinal lifting-fingers, for tossing and opening up the straw and permitting the escape of the grain therefrom in the passage of the straw over the carrier, said parts being of the usual or any preferred construction.

The rock-shafts project beyond the sides of the carrier, and are provided with crank arms or levers D, through which arocking motion is imparted to the shafts as the carrier is reciprocated, and other projections are formed on the sides of the carriers, facilitating their connection with their actuating devices, and these various projections, as these machines are now constructed, prevent the removal of the carrier or shaker for repair or removal without first removing the cover and upper frame-timbers, resulting in the dismantling of the machine-mu operation both tedious and troublesome. To obviate this notches or recesses are cut out from the inner faces of the rear frame-posts, A, either or both, of a length equal to or greater than thedepth of the strawcarrier B, and at the sides thereof, as shown; and these notches or recesses thus formed are filled by removable blocks or strips a, which fit snugly therein, and are held in place by .coaoh-screws, bolts, or other suitable fastening devices, for facilitating the removal or replacing of the blocks when required. By removing these blocks a the shaker, when released from its'actuating devices, can be readily withdrawn endwise, for repairs or renewal, without disturbing any other part of the frame. The rear frame-post may be made stronger and heavier, to accommodate this cutting away, either throughout its entire length or over the portion thus cut away, as may be preferred.

Having now described my invention, I claim- In a grain-separator, the rear frame post or posts, notched or recessed on its inner face, in combinationwith the block or strip filling said notch or recess,and made removable, for facilitatin g the removal and replacing of the shaker, substantially as described.

EDWIN G. NICHOLS.

Witnesses FRANK W. DUNNING,

FRANK T. ROBERTS. 

